The First Question
by Dragon's Ghost
Summary: Oneshot to go with 'Am I Good Enough'. At the insistance of both Abel and Dandelion, Ion asks Esther out.


The First Question

SUMMARY

Ion asks Esther out! At Abel's and Leon's suggestion he asks her somewhere a little more original then a movie theatre. How will the lady respond and, more importantly, _where _is Ion taking the young Queen of Albion?

A One Shot to go with 'Am I Good Enough'.

STORY

He couldn't believe he'd let himself be talked into this, he really couldn't.

There were so many things that could go wrong with this plan. So very many things. She could not like the gift. She could say 'no'. She could not like the choice of activity.

Oh yes, Ion Fortuna Earl of Memphis could not believe that he'd managed to be talked into asking Queen Esther Blanchette out by Father Abel Nightroad and Father Leon Garcia de Asturias.

Speaking of the troublesome pair, they were hiding behind the shrubs; I could see the top of Nightroad's silver head peaking out of the peonies.

Esther was seated on a bench not far from them. In fact, if she leaned far enough back then they'd be plainly in her sight.

See what he meant about how so many things could go wrong?

Ion took a deep breath and approached Esther as he thought about the conversation that he and the two priests crouching in the shrubbery had had only a few hours ago.

"_I don't see what you're so worried about, kid." Leon said, clapping Ion on the back cheerfully. "It's clear that Esther's completely smitten with you. Lucky guy."_

"_You can never be too certain." Ion spoke up._

"_Ion, you'll never get anywhere if you're so uptight about it all the time." Abel spoke up, twitching his glasses a little further up his nose. "You need to loosen up a little. If Esther says 'no', she says no. Life will go on and maybe she wasn't the right one. There are plenty more fish in the sea. If the tropical angel fish wasn't right, maybe you'll have better luck with a neon. You never know until you try. If she doesn't love you that way then you can still be friends. There's nothing that can stop you being friends."_

"_I know." replied Ion._

"_It's simple, kid." Leon spoke up. Oh, how Ion hated it when that Terran called him that. "Go up to her, give her the gift and ask her out. Simple."_

Yes, it had sounded simple when Leon had said it but now it sounded so much more difficult. The thought of asking _Esther _out was both exciting and terrifying.

He finally came to a stop in front of her.

"Esther?" Ion voiced.

"Oh, Ion!" exclaimed the small queen, smiling. "How lovely to see you. It's been a while."

"It has, uh…" Ion stumbled on what to say before he pushed his closed fist forwards over Esther's lap. "This is for you." he dropped the gold bracelet into her lap, little rubies glittering in the sunlight. Esther picked it up with a squeak of surprise.

"Ion, it's beautiful." Ion restrained himself from replying with a ridiculous one-liner. He was most certainly not foolish enough to do _that_.

"Esther." Here goes. "I have thought about this long and hard and I cannot ignore this issue any longer."

"Ion…"

"Esther, I have feelings for you." Ion blurted out before he could think. "I have had feelings for you for the longest time and even though my love may be unrequited, I ask, will you allow me to court you, Esther Blanchette?"

"Ion, I…" the young noble tensed even more, heart shaking with tension. "I would be honoured to be courted by you, Ion Fortuna." replied the young queen.

"Yes, uh… good." outside, Ion kept his composure as much as he could, even if he was blushing beetroot red, but inside he was leaping for joy. "Are you available tomorrow."

"Yes, after nine, I believe." Esther replied. "Why?"

"Well, how do you feel about ice skating?" asked Ion.

"I've never done it before." Esther informed him. "But I have always wished to try."

"Meet me tomorrow at the palace gates at ten." Ion replied. "Until then…" the count then did something that was far more bold then the way he felt. He leaned over and placed a delicate kiss on Esther's cheek before straightening up. "I shall see you tomorrow, Esther."

Esther watched him go with wide eyes.

* * *

"See, that wasn't so bad, was it?" Questioned Abel.

"Say what you wish, Priest, you did not have to do it." Ion replied bitingly.

"Why so snappy, kid?" asked Leon. "She said 'yes', didn't she?"

"I thought that she wouldn't for a moment." countered the blonde.

"But she did and that is the most important part." Abel retaliated before continuing in a deliberately posh, English accent. "Do you not agree, Dandelion?"

"Indubitably, Crusnik ." Leon mirrored the accent perfectly. Ion looked from one man to the other in confusion. The poor boy was doomed from the start and he didn't even know it.

* * *

Thank you for reading. I had the biggest headache trying to figure out what on earth Ion would give Esther. A ring or necklace just seemed too obvious and a small crucifix also seemed to be too common an idea.

Atlantic-Wolf; I am so sorry that I didn't get this done sooner and I'm sorry that I _still _haven't got the date going yet. I am trying! Really! I just haven't been able to think of what to write for this recently. After writing Generation Crusnik all of my ideas just seemed to drain out of my head and I am very irritated with myself at the minuet. Hopefully my little 'story brain cell' will finally kick start into action again and replace my 'artistic brain cell's place in the front seat. It's certainly been at it today! Anywho, don't worry, I haven't forgotten you! Thank you for your patience!

And to any other readers, ideas are welcome! I already know what Esther and Ion are wearing and I know what's going to happen before the skating and immeadiatly after! But ideas are always a real treasure to me!

Also, if you are offended by the little 'jibe' at the English, then don't be. I'm English too so don't get your knickers in a knot about it!

Thank you!


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